This invention relates generally to the field of access control systems, and more specifically to a system and apparatus for issuing access passes and maintaining a database of identification information for monitoring and controlling ingress and egress in a restricted facility.
For security reasons, public access to restricted facilities such as military installations, police stations, correctional institutions and governmental offices is tightly controlled. The need for controlled access exists in private industry as well, as in, for example, corporate facilities and plants which must maintain strict control of visitor and non-employee traffic. In addition to known employees and personnel, persons seeking entry to a facility can include vendors, maintenance workers, delivery services, and others having business within the facility. In order for a facility to function efficiently, there is a need to provide access to those seeking entry without undue delays, while at the same time maintaining security.
Access control for visitors and personnel is typically implemented with a human attendant stationed at a point of entry. A basic method of access control involves maintaining a manual log book where a visitor""s name and other relevant particulars are recorded. Since a xe2x80x9cby handxe2x80x9d system has limited functionality, it is far more desirable to maintain a computerized database of visitor and personnel information. In this way, it is possible to obtain an rapid and accurate accounting of visitor and personnel activity at any given time. A computerized visitor database also facilitates allowing only conditional access to certain individuals, or denying access altogether to an individual.
It is often necessary, particularly in the case of police stations and correctional facilities, to accurately document the identity of an individual seeking entry. Visitors to a facility may be given a temporary badge or pass identifying them being authorized for access. A pass or badge allows for rapid visual verification that a person is permitted to enter a given area. In order to prevent misuse of a badge or pass, it would be beneficial to include a photograph of the person on the pass itself so that it cannot be transferred to another. However, having one""s photograph taken can seem unnecessarily intrusive as many people feel that the presence of the camera is unpleasant and intimidating.
In some environments, it may be desired that an access control system be as transparent and unobtrusive as possible so that activity can be monitored without creating an unpleasant xe2x80x9cunder surveillancexe2x80x9d atmosphere. To this end, the present invention provides a system and apparatus for quickly collecting and processing identification data from a person, including a surreptitious photograph, in order to issue a visitor pass and grant access.
The need for secure access control is particularly evident in the case of police stations. Allowing visitors to flow freely in and out of a police station is highly undesirable. A manual log book can be maintained, however for a police station certain types of visitor traffic can make it beneficial to rapidly obtain background information for a visitor. For security reasons, it would also be advantageous to provide a computer implemented access control system which can be integrated with access control devices such metal detectors, doors, locking mechanisms, portals, turnstiles, and biometric devices. Further, the ability to expedite a repeat visitor is desirable. For instance, an attorney visiting a prisoner may repeat visits daily for weeks. The ability to rapidly process such a repeat visitor is highly beneficial.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a system and method for access control which processes identification data and issues a visitor pass on portable media which includes an image of the visitor combined with an image of the identification document.
It is another objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which utilizes at least one camera operable to record a digital image of a person and a digital image of an identification document.
It is a further objective of the invention to provided a system and method for access control which utilizes an autofocus camera which is preferably partially concealed from view so that a digital image of the person can be recorded unobtrusively, the autofocus camera operable to record a image of a person in a first plane of focus and an image of the indemnification document in a second plane of focus.
It is yet another objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which maintains a database of visitor identification data.
It is still a further objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which maintains tracking records for a visitor.
It is yet a further objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which has the capacity to produce reports documenting visitor activity.
It is still a further objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which maintains tracking records for a visitor.
It is still another objective of the invention to provide system and method for access control which can deny entry to unwanted visitors.
In accordance with the above objectives, an access control system for monitoring human ingress and egress comprises an input means for creating a unique identifier for a person including a digital imaging unit operable to record a digital images of a person and their identification documents and a means for inputting alphanumeric identification data associated with the person, wherein the combination of the digital images of the person and identification documents and alphanumeric identification data form the unique identifier; a database; a processing means coupled to the input means, timekeeping means operable to record chronological parameters; an electronic display coupled to the processing means operable to display the unique identifier; printing means; and an access pass on portable media which includes a viewable image of the person and alphanumeric identification data for the person. The access pass can further include a viewable image of the identification document, the arrival date and time, and machine-readable media which comprises a coded representation of the unique identifier. The access pass can be a card or an adhesive-backed badge worn on the person.
The digital imaging unit can include at least one camera. The camera can comprise an autofocus camera operable to record a digital image of a person in a first plane of focus and a digital image of the identification document for the person in a second plane of focus. The autofocus ca includes a planar surface for receiving the identification document to be recorded wherein said planar surface is coincident with said second plane of focus.
The processing means is operable to perform the steps of storing the unique identifier as a computer-readable file in the database, recording the arrival date and time of a person; creating a tracking record associated with said unique identifier wherein said tracking record includes the chronological parameters. The tracking record can further include the internal destination of the person.
The database further comprises a listing of a plurality predetermined internal destinations within the facility, wherein at least one of said internal destinations are specified by the person at the time of ingress. An authorization means is preferably coupled to the processing means, wherein the authorization means is operable to issue the access pass at the point of ingress after obtaining positive authorization. The authorization means can be operable to obtain authorization from the specified internal destination.
The processing means is operable to perform the steps of storing an access permission designator in the database in association with the unique identifier and querying the database to retrieve the access permission designator. In the event the access permission designator is positive, and the processing means is operable to issue the access pass. In the event the access permission designator is negative, access is denied. The access permission designator can permit selective access to at least one internal destination.
The access pass can further include machine-readable media comprising a coded representation of the unique identifier. The machine-readable media can comprise the computer-readable file corresponding to said unique identifier. The machine-readable media can also comprise a token file associated with the unique identifier in the database. The access control system of the present invention can further comprise at least one sensing mechanism coupled to the processing means operable to interpret the machine-readable media. A sensing mechanism can be located at point of exit from the facility in order to record the time of exit. The machine-readable media can be a machine readable indicia, such as a bar code, or a magnetic strip.